James Cagle 

The Bible says, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin when it is finished, bringeth forth death” (Jms.1:13-15).

A temptation is an attempt made to put a person on trial to test them in order to discover what sort of person they are.

James, in our text reveals the source of our temptations and explains in steps, what a temptation looks like.

To be able to deal with temptation we must first understand the origin of it and the power it wields. Some in James’ day obviously thought as some today think that the source of their temptation was God. If God is the source of temptation then it would be futile to resist it for God is omnipotent and who can resist His power and overcome.

But God is holy and so has no desire for or attraction to evil (1Jn.1:5). Neither does God seek to corrupt and weaken His people by tempting them to sin. It’s impossible that a holy God would counterwork His purpose and work of righteousness by tempting His children to sin.

Some, like the homosexuals, excuse their sin by saying God created them as they are and is the source of their temptation. But God doesn’t create that which He condemns and calls an abomination. The sin of homosexuality finds its source in the unregenerate heart (Rom.1: 21). Simply put, homosexuality can trace its source to a sinful choice to willingly and knowingly rebel against God’s revealed will.

Every man is a likely candidate for sin for “every man is tempted” to sin because he has a sinful nature and thereby the capacity to sin.

We are experiencing a temptation to sin and it’s happening, taking place, the very moment we find ourselves being drawn to, and attracted to do that which would gratify some inherent desire in a way that’s displeasing to God. We have desires and appetites given to us by our Creator. God allows and expects us to gratify them, but only according to His will as revealed in Scripture, in order that it will be for our good and His glory.

A temptation is lusting after that which is forbidden by God. Sin “is an act or attitude by which the reality of God is denied or violated and thereby the sinner estranged from God.” Only when we yield to temptation and gratify our lust are we guilty of carrying out the act that conceives or produces sin (1 Jn.3: 4, 5:17; Rom.14:23). Sin then exists as a reality that must be recognized and dealt with through repentance or one will feel the chastening hand of God (Heb.12).

If the temptation to sin is resisted none of this happens, but if it’s yielded to, culminates with death. Obedience is the means to life more abundant in Christ. Disobedience, which is yielding to the temptation to sin, is the means to death, separation from God.

James H. Cagle is a resident of Ray City.